It was sunny a minute ago. And then I walked away from the window, came back, and there are clouds moving in. They said we could expect thunderstorms.
I guess they were right. I had my doubts.
I’ve been tired since I woke up, probably half because of the weather and half because of a late night, as I spent the evening at the iconic Chicago Theater seeing “An Evening with Itzhak Perlman.”
It was spectacular.
He played for us, spun tales about his early days and showed us old footage. It felt like a conversation, like he was talking to each of us over a long coffee. What a special experience.
But I got home late, woke up early and here we are.
My dread of waiting yesterday was overinflated by me, the person I was waiting on handled everything quickly and efficiently, and it made me think of something we call in my family, “borrowing jacks.”
So my dad tells this story about a man who gets a flat tire on the side of the road. Now this story does not originate with my dad, it’s quite an old one so you must envision a world long gone with no cell phones or AAA.
Anyway, he finds he doesn’t have a jack to change the tire. But up ahead, he sees a light on in a house. So he starts walking toward the light.
And as he walks, he tells himself that they probably won’t answer the door. And if they answer the door, then they won’t lend him a jack. On and on, until he works himself up with an argument that hasn’t happened yet.
Finally, he reaches the door, and knocks on it. A man answers, and before he can say anything, the guy with the flat tire yells, “you can keep your damn jack!” and storms off.
Borrowing jacks.
Of course my dad told me that story, and reminds me of that story, because I have a tendency toward it.
Many of us do.
As we navigate an increasingly stressful world, it’s hard not to borrow jacks. But in the end, we really only hurt ourselves, and the way things actually go may surprise us.
Have a great a great Tuesday.
A Bit to Read 
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